Christmas in The Village

I am trying to figure out how to put videos on my blog...
New territory for me- bear with the glitches!

Did You Know?

One of my all time favorite people in the Christmas story is Mary (yes, I do love the main character as well...). I can often think back to times when I heard the nativity story as a young girl and often it was presented in such a way for the listener to place themselves in Mary's shoes. So, I did and have continued to do just that throughout the years. It has often spurred thoughts of: Why Mary? What did she have that so-and-so (or at times, myself) doesn't have? Why that time period- why not now? And lists of other questions that I simply can't answer. Consequently, one of my favorite Christmas songs is the song written by Mark Lowry: Mary, Did You Know? It captures a beautiful picture of what might have been going through Mary's heart and mind during that wonderful time. (Another good "considering" song is: It Wasn't His Child, from Joseph's perspective).

Mary was crafted, formed, and designed by her Creator for a special purpose and plan- that of mothering the Messiah, the Savior, the Rescuer, The One! But what made her "more special" than any other woman to ever live? Interesting thing to ponder. Who knows- maybe we will never know. But if you would, take a minute and speculate with me...

Mary's beautiful heart is revealed just a handful of times in the Gospels. (How interesting that so many people worship her when so little is known about her!) But what we find there is something to be paid attention to. I could analyze all the passages, but I want to simply focus on one of them: her song. When I was younger, I read the beginning of Luke numerous times, especially in December. However, often I would skip over the songs of Mary and Zechariah. They were not the "meat" of the passage, according to my thinking back then. However, I have come to love them and think upon them a lot as of late.

Zechariah's song is beautiful- he truly praises and worships His God, and spends a great deal of time remembering His faithfulness in the past to Israel. But as you read through it, you realize that he still "just doesn't get it" in a small way. His hope was still in that God would deliver His people from their enemies. Which is a good and right thing to hope for- not a thing wrong with that! But truly Jesus' birth was so much more than just a physical salvation from enemies (praise God it was!). And Mary understood this!

Here are a few excerpts from her song: "Holy is His name," "He has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts," "He has exalted those of humble estate," "He has filled the hungry with good things and the rich He has sent away empty..." He didn't merely come to deliver His people from the tyrannizing powers over them. That would have been too temporary. No, He came to do something a lot bigger, a lot grander, a lot more "outside the human box" thinking! And Mary got that. She knew it before He was even born. And Mary was chosen maybe in part because she "got it," and maybe even more because she was probably just one of those people she described- the poor, humble servant. God used her to show that He could use anyone!

This year I've thought on Mary a lot, partly because I've watched The Nativity Story multiple times (not 100% accurate, but very thought-provoking), and partly because I am living and working amongst the poor, needy, and those desperately grasping for some sort of salvation. Somehow being in this environment stirs my heart to cry out Mary's song over and over again from the depths of my being. But even more so, I've begun to feel broken, humbled, and ready to serve Him...

Sometimes I still do wonder what it would have been like to be Mary. To be the mother of our Lord. What would she have seen? What piece of the story would we gotten a taste of that we have no idea about today? Would we truly appreciated the Gift we'd been given? Yes, I do have "Mary-envy" often! And also wonder what I need to change in my own heart to be more like Mary. What was it about her that made her perfect for that task? And so the questions roll through my head. But just the other day I stopped and realized something... I don't need to be like Mary! She was a great woman. She did amazing things. She was handpicked by God to be His Son's mother. What a privilege! What an opportunity! What favor was that that rested upon her...

BUT none less than He's placed upon me... and you! God is all about His glory. Search through the Scriptures and you will find the entire Thing is simply revealing Him, His renown, and His glory to this world that desperately needs an outpouring of just that. Mary was a pawn, an instrument in His amazing Story! She played her part. She was gifted and crafted for her role... just as you and I are. Mary might be in the limelight a bit more, but we are no less treasured and purposeful in His hands! He designed and gifted you, just as He did her. He placed you in the exact time period and place with a reason and a plan. Maybe you feel "Mary-envy" or even someone else envy. But I want challenge you to stop and examine your heart and life. He's gifted you no less than any other person for the design He's placed upon your life. Maybe you don't need to be God's mother, a perfect evangelist, a better organizer, singer, preacher, or whatever your heart is discontent and envious over. He's given you exactly what you need for the job He's placed before you. Maybe if you are discontent with that it is because you aren't truly seeking His heart.

Maybe today it is time to do a life inventory and examine your giftings and blessings. I hope that it leads to how Mary responded:

"But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart."
Luke 2:19

(these pictures were taken last week here in Kosovo)

I'm Back...

Well, I finally made it to Kosovo!
It is so good to be back home!!
It was so hard to say goodbye's though...

I had a good time in Paris with my friends Wayne, Hilary, and Addie. Apart from the jet lag, it was such a refreshing and encouraging trip.

You can check out their blog here:

http://dennysinafrica.blogspot.com/

Thanks guys for showing me all these sights!

Addie and I doing stickers (thanks Jennifer!)

The Effiel Tower at night.

Here's Paris at Christmas time
(this is the road that the Tour de France finishes on)

Park de Seoux
(One of Addie's favorite places)

Notre Dame

We took a boat ride to see the sights.
Here's my attempt at being creative...

It has been a funny joke that it snowed first in Texas right before I left, then it snowed first in Paris while I was there, and began to snow right before I arrive in Kosovo and hasn’t really stopped since…Guess it is going the winter of snow for me. Here a few shots of snow here- besides the cold, which is also breathtaking, it is breathtakingly beautiful!

I have had a hard time re-adjusting, but mostly that is just due to this insane jet lag which isn’t allowing me much sleep right now. I hope to get back onto schedule soon, and avoid all the cold bugs being passed around.

I don't have very much internet access right now, so these post will be few and far between. Pray for me to find my house to buy quick! Thanks everyone- missing you already!!!

Stayin' Busy

Since I've been home, I've traveled to 5 different states (TEXAS, Missouri, Illinois, Oklahoma, and Arkansas). Whew... But more than that, I've gotten so many incredible opportunities to talk about Kosovo and what the Lord is doing there! It is such a blessing to share about Him! It has been a great time at home.

I also have had the chance to live with an amazing couple who've mentored me and been my friend through some difficult times. However, the sad part is they haven't been around much. Her father is in the last stages of cancer and so they have been in Florida for the majority of my time in America (keep her family in your prayers!). But when they were home, I got to have lots of fun with them!!

They work with the Senior High youth group at the church I grew up in, so I got recruited to help with the Lock-In...those would be more fun if you didn't have to stay up ALL night!

We played a game where 2 boys accidentally busted their eyebrows open- so fun to play "nurse" again. Here's one of them that I bandaged up and sent to the ER.

We had a campfire- complete with marshmallows and games when his parents came to visit!

There was a 3D movie playing at the nearby theater, so we went and watched that- Oh man, that was cool!

Thanks for loving me and investing in me!

I love you guys so very much!!!

The Windy City

A week ago I got the privilege to go visit a couple I know from Kosovo, who now live in Illinois, for a few days. It was an amazing time (I forgot to take any pictures, though...). But it worked out for me to travel home through Chicago, so I could spend a day and a half with my aunt and uncle there. It was such a blessing to be with them. However, I kept wondering why I would be dumb enough to travel to a place as cold as Kosovo- haha!

I finally got to see the church where my uncle has been a pastor at since before I was born- that was so cool!

This is my cousin and her 2 kids. I had met her when I was four...that was 21 years ago! We'd changed just a little bit since then!

Here's my aunt and uncle- they have been so good to me!
Love you two!

And here's what I decided I needed to be able to take everything I am wanting to take with me to Kosovo- it was anchored down or I probably would have carted that sucker away with me!

Thanks for all your prayers and love during this time while I am at home. God has been so gracious and good to me each and every day. It has been a rich, blessed time here!

Being Home

You might be wondering how I am doing...since I haven't posted in awhile. You might ask if I am enjoying being home. You might think I've been uber busy.

Well, I am just going to let this picture speak for things:

(I am happy to be home, I am just in a daze!)

The first thing I did was see my family!

Here's me with my newly married sister:

Here's my brother and dad grilling out.

My mom and me.

I went to my college roommate's wedding.

Saw one of my Kosovar friends...here!

And yesterday, I went to The State Fair of Texas with my mom and sister...in the pouring rain!

We ate Texas shaped nachos- yum!

And just enjoyed being in my "grand ole state"!

It's good indeed to be home for a bit!

ID Card Fiasco

So, to live in Kosovo, you are required to possess what we foreigners call an "ID Card". Sounds simple enough, huh? Well...just read on!

So, last fall when I first arrived in Kosovo, I went down to Prishtina, the capital, and applied for one- easy enough. They said it would be ready in 2 weeks and to come back then...which we did (keep in mind Prishtina is almost 2 hours away from where I live, on a very bad road!). They weren't ready...nor were they ready every other time we returned for the next 9 months (they kept telling us each time that it would be "just 2 weeks more"). Finally our cards arrived! They expired in 3 months!!!

So, 3 weeks before my card expired I headed back to Prishtina to renew my card- no biggie, you'd think! Well, it turns out that the problem which delayed the cards 9 months was going to prevent this from working. You see, the UN had moved out of Kosovo and Eulex- the European Union's form of police- had moved in. A change in powers always results in difficulties for people just like me who think things should "just go smoothly"!

So, I went to the police station (you can read the previous post about driving to Prishtina...) SIX times before my paperwork was accepted. I won't bore you with all the details, but that is a lot of traveling, being frustrated, sometimes wanting to bite someone's head off but not knowing enough Albanian to, and work! Finally on the last time...it worked! And you wouldn't even believe that the same people who had been so rude to us before were all smiles and jokes this time- man, you just never know what you are going to get!

So, hopefully my ID card will be awaiting my arrival back in Kosovo in December...but then again, you just never know in Kosovo!

In Texas

(this is how Dallas feels to me right now...)

Hello Everyone!


This last month or so has been pretty complex and busy. Therefore, my absence from the blogging world... But I will try to update with some pics soon. In the meanwhile, I am posting to ask for prayer in regards to my time home. I've been here for approx 3 days and have already begun to feel overwhelmed with the planning and organizing that I must do to meet with everyone and also work out some things for the coming year for my team. God's teaching me a lot, and I feel so blessed to be back home for a time.


I can't wait to see you (if you live in Texas)!

To Live Is Great and To Drive Is... Scary!

In July a large part of my team returned home, taking with it two of the people who had been driving me around for the last year. So, I found myself being thrown into the driver's seat. Doesn't sound like something to worry about, in fact, one might be wondering why I waited almost a year to drive here. I mean, come on, haven't I been driving for a good many years now? Haha... Well, let me just explain:

First off, I have only ever driven a standard (stick shift) when I worked at camp for two summers. I think I've driven on roads with other cars maybe 3 times tops. So, I was nervous to drive our old, rag-tag van that had a lot of problems... that also was a stick! I must also explain a few things about the van. Even though we've fixed it a few times, sometimes the gear shift is pretty loose and sometimes the steering is very loose. The brakes have also been known to have problems (though sometimes the problem is the driver...). So, as you can imagine, I wasn't too thrilled to take over the driving for our team!

Secondly (and this could easily be thirdly and fourthly), driving isn't the same here. Not sure if you've ever attempted to drive in another country, but picture a place where rules don't really get followed and you have it! My time in Peru was the scariest place driving-wise, followed by Albania for a close second, and then comes Kosovo! Let me give you a few examples!

Stop signs don't mean stop, sometimes they don't even mean slow down. Driving the wrong way on a street is okay, and it might even be "more legal" if your car is facing the right way, but headed the wrong way (driving backwards!). Pedestrians always have the right away, meaning that any person can step out in front of you at any moment and you must stop! There are cows, horses, dogs, sometimes even chickens roaming the roads and even highways. There aren't any stop lights in my city, just crazy, congested intersections where everyone tries to go at the same time. Passing people is normal and even expected. A lot of the time it happens when there is no room to be doing so... And lastly (though I have dozens of other things), I live in the mountains!

Well, I've been driving since sometime in July and I've begun to feel pretty proficient. I've driven our old van up to camp and only nearly died by sliding off the mountain once (that isn't a joke!). And so, logically it only seemed right that I should brave driving to Prishtina, the super congested capital of Kosovo, right before I go home for a few months. Oh man! The ride there was alright (apart from realizing that our steering we'd just fixed had now become worse than before- pretty hard to control!). I navigated alright within the city and parked. We got out and took care of our business, and then found the car, paid the parking attendant, and began the hour and a half trek home. Getting out of the city is tricky- there isn't just one lane of cars for every one lane of road. So, you must fight to keep your place. After you reach the last round-about (you might have to research that a bit if you are an American), you normally feel home free. Well, not anymore! The construction that began a year ago when I arrived is still going on! By construction I mean a complete demolition of the road, in hopes that one day they will repave it. So, we drive on washboard, dusty roads that shouldn't be driven on...

I am not sure what brought my stress level to the max that it was at, but I was pretty much shaking on the inside the whole way home. Cars were flying past me with barely enough room to be passing, so I was slamming on my brakes to avoid them or the other car. At one point a dog darted in front of the van. I wasn't sure what the speed limit was. The sign said 30 kilometers per hour in the work zones, but I was going 6o and everyone was frustrated at me and zooming past... even the police! And keep in mind, the steering on my van was terrible- take your foot off the accelerator and control is lost as the steering wheel begins to convulse. It takes a good 5-10 seconds to regain control of things. Well, enter 3 big trucks- when I say big, I mean huge! Two belonged to the Italian troops that are working in my city, Peja. They were massive dump trucks... and they was driving soooo slowly! I edged out and passed one of them, then the other. The last large truck in the line was a semi with a trailer attached to it, carrying a very large bull dozer of sorts (if I was a boy, I would totally know the name!). So, this was a super long and wide vehicle. I waited for a while and then I got brave and began to pass. The road was clear and I made it half way around him with no problems. Well, a bit ahead some idiot in a green truck decided to pull onto the road, leaving me no room to finish passing. Normally this is okay, since there is technically enough room for 3 cars on the road if they all know what they are doing (which really isn't me...). But you must remember who I was passing- a near impassable trailer. So, logic says, slam on your brakes and go back behind him... That would work well if there weren't also 3 other big cars behind you also passing at the same time. Who really knows what happened! God saved me, but however my nerves were shot by this point. We didn't pass this truck until we were nearly to our home city. My poor roommate who was sitting behind me, and seemed to have all the advice in the world (even though she's never driven...), got the brunt of my frustrations. But don't worry- we apologized and worked things out later... when our feet were firmly on the ground again.

And there you have it- my first driving experience to Prishtina. Wish it was the last, but chances are there will be many more to follow- Ugh!

Watch out, Kosovars, for the big red van barreling down the road. Chances are it doesn't know where it is going or what it is doing... Hopefully it can steer and brake when it passes by you!

(Un)Fortunate Changes

Welcome to the Vision Center: for an entire year I've been waiting to clean the building up and repaint it. The walls were super dirty (many hands...and feet...have been on them). When you tried to scrub them, the paint just wipes off! So, when my two new team members arrived, I saw that as the perfect opportunity to get busy and "do a facelift".

The "fortunate" part in the title was that the walls were clean and sparkled again...

The "unfortunate" part is that the colors were pretty hideous:
Smerf Blue and Communist Khaki!
(what the girls named them)



Here's the library finished- it is split
(yellow top and khaki bottom).

The meeting room almost done

(all blue).

Whatever the results, one thing that was most beneficial:

We got to know each other better and enjoyed the time!

Montenegro: Europe's Secret

I am pretty aware that the majority of my blog readers will have no clue where or what Montenegro is, so let me do an introduction! Montenegro is one of Europe's newest countries. It used to belong to the former Yugoslavia (like Kosovo). It joins borders with Kosovo, but has a major difference. Montenegro is inhabited largely by people of Serbian origin; Kosovo is almost entirely Albanian. The country of Montenegro is one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen in my life! Mountainous, beautiful beaches, lush green, tropical feel, and it borders the Adriatic Sea- right across from Italy. So, here's some pictures from my week of relaxation there last week. I did a little more resting than picture taking, but here's what I have:

Posing in the older part of a city

An incredible sunset my first night.

Burning trash- I've decided we don't have any ozone over the Balkans...haha!

Don't call an engineer when you need a bridge; just build it yourself out of trash!

The view out of my friend's front door!!

Ping-pong on a stone table, anyone?

A beautiful beach- I actually didn't got to a single beach while I was there. :-o

You can rent these.

I just love how creation screams His Name to the ends of the earth! May the people of Montenegro have ears to hear and eyes to see!